Julie Jakmides to attend law school in Akron, allowing her to remain on city council

Alliance already had to replace two of its eight City Council members within the first four months of their terms due to illness and death, and city officials feared that a third might be in the mix.

However, thanks to a waiver from the University of Akron, Julie Jakmides will keep her at large council seat while attending law school. Jakmides, R-at large, accepted a scholarship from Akron's School of Law, after the college upped its scholarship offer and waived the school's first-year no-work rule. "Law schools are very strict about first-year full-time students not having a job. After the first year, you are allowed to work a certain number of hours per week, but I have been told the rule for first-year students is very strict. Failing to abide by their rules can have very serious consequences," she explained.

Because of that no-work policy, two weeks ago Jakmides was preparing to attend Elon University in Greensboro, N.C., where she was offered a substantial merit scholarship and had been chosen to participate in the law school's Leadership Fellow Program.

"I thought Elon was the right fit, (paying) an initial deposit and (drafting) my letter of resignation from City Council, but Akron was drafting a better offer after I formally turned down their first offer," she added.

Akron came back with an offer, doubling the initial scholarship offer and allowing her to remain on council if she commuted from Alliance.

"I was blown away. After a year of trying to work with them and get clarification on the rule, I finally had exactly what I was looking for all along," Jakmides said. "I knew that no matter where I (attended) law school that I wanted to return to Alliance and serve my community."

In addition to her father, Jeff Jakmides, earning his Juris Doctorate at Akron, other law school alumni include Alliance Law Director Jennifer Arnold, former Alliance Municipal Court Magistrate Jean Madden, Stark County Common Pleas Court Judges Frank Forchione and Taryn Heath, and county Probate Court Judge Dixie Park.

Jakmides graduated in December from the University of Mount Union with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice before being sworn in for her second term on council.

In addition to overseeing council's Planning, Zoning and Housing committee, she also sits on the Safety and Judiciary as well as Finance committees and sits on the Water-Sewer Advisory board and the YMCA board of directors. Jakmides also is serving as the campaign manager for Stark County Common Pleas Court Judge Curt Werren, who was appointed to serve the remainder of retiring Judge Lee Sinclair's term, and as vice president of both the Alliance Area Republican Club and the Mount Union Pre-Law Society.

She previously interned for former Alliance Municipal Court Judge Robert G. Lavery and the Alliance Police Department's narcotics unit.

Jakmides also served as a mock trial coach for St. Thomas Aquinas High School after graduating from there in 2010.

"This is my dream scenario. I wish I could start law school tomorrow," she concluded.